Staff Bios

Leslie Sarah Stephenson, Owner

I am originally from NYC, and transplant to Seattle, WA. I am a recovering lawyer and retired Naval Officer. In my second year of law school I joined the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corp and served for 1 year in the reserves and 11 years on active duty. During those years, I was stationed in Newport, RI, Norfolk, VA, Diego Garcia B.I.O.T., Bremerton, WA, and San Diego, CA before begging to come back to Washington and to serve my last tour back in Bremerton, WA. I couldn’t be a lawyer anymore (the memes about unhappy lawyers are real!) and wanted to pursue something more creative, so I went all the way back to undergrad to get a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Graphic Design at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA.

I started Leslie Sarah Designs as a way to separate the freelance work I was doing from my personal life, and decided that I wanted to have a second half to the company through which I could pursue jewelry making as well and marry two of my passions together.

If you need me and I’m not working, I’m probably in the mountains - either hiking or snowboarding - or out on the water paddle boarding or swimming, probably with my dog, Jeeter. I love cheese, pasta, and pizza (in that order), traveling as much as I can, and frequenting the ballet and symphony.

Jeeter, Nap Expert and Cheese Tax Collector

Jeeter is the 12-ish year old rescue dog that runs my life. He loves naps in the sun, naps on the couch, naps on the beanbag chair in the office at daycare, and naps on me. Basically, just naps. He has a very high cheese tax, but he has promised that it will keep him alive forever (and if you meet him, you might think that is true!)

He hates water, but loves fluffy frozen water. Will tolerate unfrozen water for a calm paddle board or float down a river, or for a very quick dip on a very hot day. He loves running in the woods and going on hikes, especially with his best friends Sokka, Millie, Mugsy, and Ginny.

If you don’t have cheese he will accept peanut butter as a mediocre substitute. If you don’t have that, pets will do. You don’t know it, but he’s already your best friend.

Jeeter is perpetual employee of the year because he’s the best boy. I mean…just look at that face.